


Double Fault

by basil7



Series: Forty Love [3]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Angst, Drunkenness, M/M, Romantic Friendship, Unresolved Romantic Tension, dilemma, not at all oblivious Domi, not so sarcastic Sascha, thirev
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-20 21:25:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18132353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basil7/pseuds/basil7
Summary: Unlike Sascha, Domi is a sensible man, conscious of the consequences of ill-considered love in their profession. But like Sascha, Domi is only a man. Should he just give in to temptation and live with the inevitable repercussions of his actions? Or should he suppress his desires and live with the regret over lost chances? Is imprudent desire a fault he could have avoided? Or is it the double fault of giving in to that desire (which he is deliberately not avoiding) that is the real complication?





	Double Fault

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Sequel to First Serve; so this one probably won't make much sense as a stand-alone fic. (Doesn't make much sense either way.)  
> 2.This is based right after Sascha crashed out of the Indian Wells in 3rd round. He double faults on the last point. Apparently he's sick. (Sick with love, maybe? XD) Anyway, this child will be the death of me.  
> 3\. Dominic, as we all know, is still in the draw. Hopefully he'll make us proud.  
> 4\. The characters' thoughts are in italics.  
> 5\. As always, I DON'T OWN THE CHARACTERS; THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL LIVES.

Word in the locker room is that Sascha is sick. When Dominic hears the news, there is a rather unfamiliar swooping sensation in his stomach, an inexplicable sense of guilt paired with a renewed surge of ambition, as if his desire to win this title is in some way responsible for whatever ailment Sascha is suffering from. To be honest, he is rather glad that Sascha has lost today. _Does that make him a terrible human being and an even worse friend?_   But after their last encounter in the hotel room he is relieved that he won't have to face him on court any time soon. He is barely able to look him in the eye anymore, now that he is aware of the lust underneath Sascha's affection. He shivers under that electrifying gaze of blue-green eyes across practice courts, his cheeks heating up, his hands getting clammy with sweat, his shots going ridiculously wide. Günter has been eyeing him suspiciously for the last couple of days, and really, it is the fear of an awkward exchange with his coach that is driving him to play so well in this tournament. _What could he possibly say if Günter asks him why he is so disturbed?_ How could he even begin to explain Sascha's confession and his own conundrum over whether to ignore the flare of passion it ignited?Unlike Sascha, Domi is a sensible man, conscious of the consequences of ill-considered love in their profession. But like Sascha, Domi is only a man. Who knows from where this torrent of love is welling up inside him, propelling him towards his friend with a force he cannot possibly resist, forcing him to admit in the silent loneliness of night that despite his protests there is an undeniable attraction between them. What is he to do with such self-knowledge? The only answer he can come up with is to bury it deep within his heart, and avoid Sascha for the time being. So, indeed, he is quite glad he won't have to play Sascha here because he is not sure he can survive that. 

After his presser, all the way to the hotel Domi debates whether he should call Sascha, just to ask after his well-being, because he knows his friend has a tendency to beat himself up over losses, no matter how arrogant and self-assured he appears to be at press conferences. _Would Sascha even pick up? Or worse, what if he picks up?!_ Surely Sascha hates him now, since he let him believe that his love is unrequited. But if his fond, lingering stares are anything to go by, Sascha still cares. Deeply. Domi decides to bite the bullet and call him. As the phone rings, he silently prays to whatever deity that presides over love that Sascha would ignore his call. _Please don't pick up, please don't pick up,_  he chants in his head. 

\- "Hel-loooo!", an incoherent garble comes through the device. _Well, it looks like he's going to be an atheist from now on._

* * *

 

\- "Sascha?" The familiar voice greets him, concern evident in the question. If anything, it agitates Sascha even more. The world is spinning, and Domi's call must be making the walls reel and ceiling lower, suffocating him. 

-"Sascha, are you drunk?" Domi's concern has turned to horror now. "You cannot be drunk! It's afternoon!"

-"I don't care, love." Sascha slurs, the endearment hardly sarcastic. "The tour's over, it's all ov-ver", he hiccups. 

-"Where are you?!" Domi is panicking now, visualising all sorts of scenarios of journalists catching an inebriated Sascha and the scandal that would follow.

-"Oh, relax. I'm in my room, like a good boy. Or not so good, you know. _You know_. Not good. I fall in love, I get drunk, I lose matches. Not in that order, of course. Or is it..." Sascha rambles on, while Domi clings to his phone like a lifeline, as if it could protect his friend from all possible harm.

-"Sascha, please don't do anything stupid. And whatever you do, don't leave your room. Just, just sit on the couch, okay?" 

-"Since when do you care, Domi?," Sascha sneers in a singsong voice. "Go home to your team, to your Kiki. Go celebrate! Don't waste your time on me, Domiii." The sneer turns into a sob as he breathes his name, all sadness and yearning. 

 -"Please don't say that. You know I care, don't you?" Domi's question is soft, rhetorical.

-"You're only saying that because you think I'll forget it when I sober up. May be I will. What if I don't? Will you take your words back then?"

-"There're all kinds of caring, Sascha, you know that well enough. But I cannot argue with you now."

-"Why?" 

That innocent incredulity is as irritating as it is endearing. Domi is reminded once again how young Sascha is, despite being nearly twenty-two. His strange frankness and naivete belie his years, and it makes him reconsider every lustful thought he has had about Sascha. Shaking off the self-reproach, he replies, "Because you are drunk. Because you just lost a match. Because I am your friend."

-"Will you come over, Domi? Please?" Even through the haze of intoxication Sascha feels the pangs of passion, the adrenaline left over from the match earlier blending with the alcohol, making his long limbs tremble.

-"No, Sascha, I cannot. I won't let you do this to yourself."

-"I won't regret it, Domi. Please. I need this. What have you got to lose? Go back to your girlfriend afterwards, let me just have one afternoon." Sascha is pleading now, his voice teetering on the verge of tears. "Dominiiic." His name on Sascha's tongue is a quavering wail, an entreaty so fervent that it sets Domi's nerves on fire. 

-"I'll come over, Sascha. Please don't go anywhere. And please don't drink yourself to death. I'm hanging up now, I'll be there in a few minutes."

* * *

Dominic contemplates his life choices as he drops his bags off in his room. Domi is attracted to Sascha, is probably in love or lust or somewhere in between with Sascha; there's no denying that anymore. But isn't he taking advantage of Sascha's vulnerability? It wouldn't be taking advantage if he doesn't give in to Sascha's demands in the end, he argues. May be he can just talk to him; after all, he promised that they would talk after the tour, and the tour is effectively over for Sascha. _Who are you trying to convince, Dominic? You know you cannot even control yourself, let alone Sascha._

He pockets his keys and phone, and starts walking towards the elevator. May be he will hold Sascha's hair back while he pukes, put him to bed, and walk away. After all, he is perfectly sober and can make the right decision. Domi is lost in his vision when Günter taps him on the shoulder. _What on earth is he so gleeful about when Domi's whole world is turning upside down?_ Apparently his coach is overjoyed that his friend has lost, and is trying to show him the ATP highlights video. Domi winces as he watches Sascha commit double fault on that last point, losing the match. "I am going over to his hotel. I heard he is sick, I need to make sure he's alright," he tells Günter against his better judgement. Günter shakes his head, and walks away, muttering, "Don't know why you bother with that silly boy..."

Indeed. Why does he bother? Then he thinks of Sascha drunk and alone, crying over the match or Dominic or both, and resolutely resumes his hurried strides. Staring at his own images reflected on the numerous redundant mirrors inside the elevator, he recalls Sascha's words: " _Go back to your girlfriend afterwards_..." So what about Kiki? Isn't this whole situation utterly unfair to her? If he indeed _likes_ Sascha, has he been playing with Kiki's feelings all along? And if he loves Kiki but is still reconsidering his options about Sascha, isn't he stringing him along? Then there's the string of girls Sascha dates - Belinda, or Olya, or whoever is currently featuring in his over-the-top Instagram videos. As he was quite vexed by those preposterous videos, may be he has always liked Sascha that way? As a friend he should stop Sascha from cheating on his girlfriend, not incite it! Should he just give in to temptation and live with the inevitable repercussions of his actions? Or should he suppress his desires and live with the regret over lost chances? Is imprudent desire a fault he could have avoided? Or is it the double fault of _giving in_ to that desire (which he is deliberately _not_ avoiding) that is the real complication? He smiles sympathetically at Sascha's subdued family and team, vaguely explaining that he just wants to make sure his friend is alright.  

 

Dominic knocks on Sascha's door. After all, he is only a man.

 

 

~to be continued~ 

 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. This is the press conference after his loss where Sascha says he's been sick for a week. (If there is any German-speaking person reading this, I'd really appreciate it if you could let us know what Sascha says to the journalist in German.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi2bDXKYPps  
> 2\. Here is a compilation of the videos on Sascha's Instagram that Dominic thinks about https://tennistonic.com/tennis-news/55240/sascha-zverev-and-girlfriend-olya-sharypova-post-lovely-video-on-instagram/  
> 3\. Please don't expect smut, I cannot write it even though I imagine lots of wild situations. :-D


End file.
